University of Louisville
USF
Softball Blanks USF 2-0 in BIG EAST Quarterfinals
May 12, 2011 | Softball
May 12, 2011
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - - Junior Tori Collins scattered two hits and struck out six as the fourth-seeded University of Louisville softball team defeated fifth-seeded USF 2-0 in the quarterfinals of the BIG EAST Championship Thursday evening.
The Cards (35-17) will face top-seeded Notre Dame (45-8) in the semifinals Friday at 5 p.m. No. 3 Syracuse (42-11) and No. 2 DePaul (39-12) will square off in the other semifinal game at 2:30 p.m.
"I thought Tori threw a very good game today," said U of L head Sandy Pearsall. "Our defense made great plays we had to have. USF has a tremendous pitcher in Sara Nevins and I'm proud of how our team stayed in there and kept battling and found a way to put up some runs."
The game featured a scoreless pitcher's duel through five innings. Jennifer Esteban's one-out single in the fourth broke up USF starting pitcher Sara Nevins' perfect game.
Kelly McCarver broke up Louisville starter Tori Collins' no-hitter with a single in the fifth and moved into scoring position on Alexis Nowell's sacrifice bunt. A walk to Gina Kafalas put two runners on with two outs, but Connell retired Ashli Goff to end the inning.
Taner Fowler led off the top of the sixth with a single and was lifted for pinch-runner Tesha Paysen who took second on a passed ball and third on Hannah Kiyohara's groundout to bring Katie Keller to the plate. The freshman saw 11 pitches, fouling off seven before sending a sacrifice fly to left field to put the Cards up 1-0.
Louisville added an insurance run in the seventh when senior Colby Wherry registered her sixth home run of the season, two-out shot over the centerfield fence to make the score 2-0. Maggie Ruckenbrod followed with a double. Pinch-runner Chelsea Jordan was safe at third on Kristin Austin's fielder's choice to place runners on the corners, but Nevins got Fowler to foul out to end the inning.
The Bulls had one final chance in the bottom of the seventh when Stormi Grzybeck connected on a one-out single was lifted for pinch-runner Courtney Goff. Collins and the Cardinal defense retired the final two batters to end the game.
Collins (15-9) went the distance, holding the Bulls to two hits and striking out six in her ninth shutout of the season. Esteban, Wherry, Fowler and Ruckenbrod each had a hit for the Cards.
Nevin (15-8) took the loss, allowing two runs, one earned, on four hits and striking out six in a complete game effort. Grzybeck and McCarver accounted for the Bulls' two hits.
